Transforming Our Emotions

How can we develop a healthy emotional life when everything in our culture tempts us to do otherwise?  Every imaginable marketing strategy pressures us to be someone God has not created us to be. 1 Peter 5:6-8 says:

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

There are many times that it may take all we’ve got to cast our anxieties on Him, the One who truly understands our emotional turmoil. Developing the foresight to watch for the triggers that put us into a tailspin is essential. 

Dr. Ed Welch states: “Imagine the presence of one who deeply loves you and is powerful enough to deal with the things you fear. It turns fear into confidence. But, like all spiritual growth, this change only comes with practice. It comes when you say, “Amen—I believe” when you hear or read the promises of God. It comes through meditation on God’s words. It comes when the cross of Jesus Christ assures you that God is faithful. These words to the fearful are so important that Jesus makes them his final words on earth: “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matt. 28:20). The resurrection is God’s answer to fear. Jesus is alive.” - Excerpt, Depression: Looking Up from the Stubborn Darkness

Most Important Relationship

How important is it to develop a relationship with God?  How is it possible to have a relationship with Him when the world is chaotic and noisy?  Today’s reference is a command, so it must be possible. We are promised the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, with great grace and benefit to Hos presence.  Our culture’s method of experiencing peace and tranquility is advertised as the absence of hardship or hostility. Sitting on a sandy beach watching the sleepy ocean tide may be the world’s best depiction. The defining marker is the absence of conflict.

But the Holy Spirit, by contrast, brings peace in the midst of conflict, distress and persecution.  It simply doesn’t make sense for the Comforter to bring that kind of peace, that peace comes naturally. In a strange way, the more uncomfortable a circumstance or the risk for God, the more profoundly we can experience the peace that passes all understanding. The joy of knowing Christ, the hope within, is beyond understanding or an expression of words. Our faith, hope, love, peace, and joy come to us as we know Him and live in Him.

“We have little control over the circumstances of life. We can't control the weather or the economy, and we can't control what other people say about or do to us. There is only one area where we have control--we can rule the kingdom inside. The heart of every problem is the problem in the heart.” - Warren W. Wiersbe

Discipleship

 “Defining the activity of “Discipling”: “The intentional training of disciples, with accountability, on the basis of loving relationships” Excerpt , The Disciple-Making Church by Bill Hull

I need to be intentional, making every effort to look for those who need encouragement, who want to learn, and who God is working in their heart. I need to develop an invitation and I must be approachable. An invitation to all must be welcoming and accessible. At the same time, it is God who is doing the work in a person’s life. Following Christ is not an individual solo walk, with no contact or influence on others.  I often wonder how God views my weak effort to disciple others  

“Every believer should be able to answer two questions. Who am I discipling? And who is discipling me? Every church should be able to answer two questions. Do we have a plan for making disciples? And is it working?” - Robby Gallaty, Growing Up: How to Be a Disciple Who Makes Disciples

Global Perspective

 After completing the Perspectives class, I have a different view of the news and political trends. Is being an American citizen and being patriotic is high priority?  Should I be cranked up about a political candidate?  How should I view immigration of many into the U.S.?  Should I be a militant gun rights advocate?  Should I be a militant private school advocate?  

Thinking Different

What should characterize the thought patterns of a Christ follower?  How is a Christ follower’s thinking counter cultural?  Today’s devotional captures the battle in our minds today. We can easily slide into the doom and gloom syndrome of so many. But if God is at work in our lives, our sense of reality and our eternal perspective should be a loud yet positive voice today. The apostle Paul states:

 (1 Corinthians‬ ‭2:6-10‬ , Eugene Peterson’s MSG translation) “We, of course, have plenty of wisdom to pass on to you once you get your feet on firm spiritual ground, but it’s not popular wisdom, the fashionable wisdom of high-priced experts that will be out-of-date in a year or so. God’s wisdom is something mysterious that goes deep into the interior of his purposes. You don’t find it lying around on the surface. It’s not the latest message, but more like the oldest—what God determined as the way to bring out his best in us, long before we ever arrived on the scene. The experts of our day haven’t a clue about what this eternal plan is. If they had, they wouldn’t have killed the Master of the God-designed life on a cross. That’s why we have this Scripture text: No one’s ever seen or heard anything like this, Never so much as imagined anything quite like it— What God has arranged for those who love him. But you’ve seen and heard it because God by his Spirit has brought it all out into the open before you. The Spirit, not content to flit around on the surface, dives into the depths of God, and brings out what God planned all along. Who ever knows what you’re thinking and planning except you yourself? The same with God—except that he not only knows what he’s thinking, but he lets us in on it. God offers a full report on the gifts of life and salvation that he is giving us. We don’t have to rely on the world’s guesses and opinions. We didn’t learn this by reading books or going to school; we learned it from God, who taught us person-to-person through Jesus, and we’re passing it on to you in the same firsthand, personal way.”

If we are following the narrow way and have an eternal perspective, will we experience persecution, loneliness, or confusIon? We may have rough times by thinking Biblically, but His grace and presence are promised.

Randy Alcorn says, “A Barna poll shows that for every American who believes he or she is going to Hell, there are 120 who believe they’re going to Heaven. Yet Christ said otherwise: “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).” - Excerpt, Heaven: Biblical Answers to Common Questions

Facing evil

“Be alert, be on watch! Your enemy, the Devil, roams around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”   1 Peter 5:8

How would we live differently if we recognized the unseen spiritual war happening in and around us? What Scriptural strategies can we develop to wage war against these enemies? Rick Warren says the three enemies are self, the devil and the world system which are always active and on the offensive. There was a time before September 11, 2001, when counterterrorist agencies possessed good intelligence about groups. We knew who their leader of AlQuida was and where he was, we knew whertheir training facilities were, how monitor them, and we knew their hatred. Yet, with so many otpriority issues, international and domestic crises, and we had a lack of “actionable intelligence.” We didn’t assign enough attention to this character Osama bin Laden and his terrorist network. Without taking action, we suffered tragic consequences. Hindsight is 20/20 but having foresight takes wisdom and action. When all you have is fuzzy foresight, you must focus more attention and resources on the Enemy who wants your head on a platter. If you do, your hindsight will be much less painful.

We believed the terrorists were out there, but we acted like we sort of believed in Intel. Sort of believing in a real enemy and real threat produces a sort-of response that sort of gets people killed.

Satan wants you killed or at least neutralized (living but not a threat). The most tragic mistake we can make is to sort of believe in evil. Do we sort of believe we have an enemy?

We  can spend too much time focusing on evil or not consider the threat at all. 

Live Your Best Life

 “A prudent person sees trouble coming and ducks; a simpleton walks in blindly and is clobbered.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭22:3‬ ‭MSG‬‬

How can the wrong information lead us to the wrong decisions? How can our lives get off track because of the wrong information? Somewhere I read that only 14% of Americans read the newspaper or listen to network news. Where we obtain information has changed during the past few years. Who we listen to can either challenge us to make effective decisions or add a confirmation bias to false thinking. I’m finding that following Christ is developing a skill to listen to the Lord’s presence in His Word, trusting that He is sovereign and firmly in control.

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   “The battle of the Christian life is to bring your own heart into alignment with Christ’s, that is, getting up each morning and replacing your natural orphan mind-set with a mind-set of full and free adoption into the family of God through the work of Christ your older brother, who loved you and gave himself for you out of the overflowing fullness of his gracious heart.” -  Dane C. Ortlund, Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers

   
   

Thinking Patterns

Why would God want to change the way we think? How can our lives get off track because of poor thinking patterns? I can get myself into a frenzy at a fast pace and I can put myself into an emotional tail spin if I’m not careful. I can also think too highly of myself, setting up a crash into regret. Proverbs‬ ‭4:23-27‬ ‭(MSG‬‬) says, “Keep a vigilant watch over your heart; that’s where life starts. Don’t talk out of both sides of your mouth; avoid careless banter, white lies, and gossip. Keep your eyes straight ahead; ignore all sideshow distractions. Watch your step, and the road will stretch out smooth before you. Look neither right nor left; leave evil in the dust.”

The closer I experience the awe of His presence, I’m at peace with my circumstances and purpose in life. Psalm 71:14 states “But I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more.”

Dane Ortlund says, “As long as you fix your attention on your sin, you will fail to see how you can be safe. But as long as you look to this high priest, you will fail to see how you can be in danger. Looking inside ourselves, we can anticipate only harshness from heaven. Looking out to Christ, we can anticipate only gentleness.” - Excerpt - Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers

Faith Required

 To be truly transformed as a follower of Christ, how important is setting goals?  How are God honoring goals different than most goals in our culture?  Will our goals prevent us from fitting in to our cultural norms?   

Romans 12:2 - “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Can we be transformed without setting goals that are contrary to the rest of culture?  Will God change us if we don’t? 

Rick Warren says: “ Goals are statements of faith that affirm our trust in God. When we set a goal that we  plan to accomplish by a certain date, we’re doing so in faith.  Dreams won’t do us much good unless we wake up and go to work. Resolutions can be important, but we need other things behind them, like a team, accountability, and the power of God.  Goals, on the other hand, are specific and measurable. In fact, goals with parameters are what makes them steps of faith. 

Jesus said, “According to your faith let it be done to you” (Matthew 9:29 NIV). We haven’t really trusted God until we’ve done something that can’t be done in our own strength.”

“Our Lord does not promise to change life for us; He does not promise to remove difficulties and trials and problems and tribulations; He does not say that He is going to cut out all the thorns and leave the roses with their wonderful perfume. No; He faces life realistically, and tells us that these are things to which the flesh is heir, and which are bound to come. But He assures us that we can so know Him that, whatever happens, we need never be frightened, we need never be alarmed.” -  Martyn Lloyd Jones

Shadows

 “If you are in Christ, you have a Friend who, in your sorrow, will never lob down a pep talk from heaven. He cannot bear to hold Himself at a distance. Nothing can hold Him back. His heart is too bound up with yours.”  - Dane C. Ortlund, Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers

“We experience God as much as we want Him.” - Robby Gallaty

Unity?

 Is it possible to value theology, hate sin, and fight for unity?  We have few examples, but God commands all three. Our divisions usually aren’t caused by a difference of theology but a lack of relationship. Our problem is not our difference of opinion or interpretation; it’s the shallowness of our love. When love is lacking, it almost makes it worse that we keep talking about it. If we are willing to let the Holy Spirit take precedence we will find a much more diverse, beautiful family of believers because it is the family that God has made, not the one we have chosen. 

Rest

 Do you ever feel guilty when you try to rest?  Are you worried about what others might think of you, should you get ‘caught’ resting? Work demands, family commitments, the undone list at home, the growing need to do list - all amp up the pressure. I should be praying more, studying the Bible more, and I should get involved in more volunteer activities. Many of us have grown up with guilt that we never measure up to standards that keep changing for the perfect person. I’m learning that God is not a grouch demanding perfection. He is a loving, holy, Creator who is bringing all things to completion (with or without me). I’m learning to live on purpose, not trying to earn my respect and approval from our Father. My purpose is to enjoy the awe of His love and His presence, to make every effort to glorify Him, regardless of location, activity, or situation. His grace will provide and sustain. As Dallas Willard has said, Grace is not opposed to effort but it is opposed to earning. 

Lighten the Load

 How do you handle life’s heavy burdens?  How can you and I have hope when everyone else is doom and gloom?  Non of us is an expert in the wisdom market. Life can be very unfair and dark times can become very difficult. But being faithful and loyal to Christ is walking with Him, yet waiting on Him. We may never understand why bad things happen, but being in Christ and He in us is experiencing His peace and comfort, despite the circumstances. No scheming or coni bing will improve a situation. Jesus experienced life’s worst, and He understands our darkness, physical pain, and emotional trauma. Some of my darkest crises have been the precious times with the Lord. When our grandson died shortly after birth, our son remarked, “This is the closest we will ever be to Heaven in this life.”

“Our tendency is to feel intuitively that the more difficult life gets, the more alone we are. As we sink further into pain, we sink further into felt isolation. The Bible corrects us. Our pain never outstrips what he himself shares in. We are never alone. That sorrow that feels so isolating, so unique, was endured by him in the past and is now shouldered by him in the present.”

Dane C. Ortlund, Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers

Consider what Jesus is saying. A yoke is the heavy crossbar laid on oxen to force them to drag farming equipment through the field. Jesus is using a kind of irony, saying that the yoke laid on his disciples is a nonyoke. For it is a yoke of kindness. Who could resist this? It’s like telling a drowning man that he must put on the burden of a life preserver only to hear him shout back, sputtering, “No way! Not me! This is hard enough, drowning here in these stormy waters. The last thing I need is the added burden of a life preserver around my body!

Dane C. Ortlund, Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers

Civility

Paul Tripp has said, 

An idolatrous heart will produce idol words, words that serve the idol that grips us.  A local pastor recently advised that if we describe ourselves by a label along with the term ‘Christian’ or Follower of Christ, we may be developing an idol in our heart. We should be known more for our love, character, and compassion far more than what we are against. 

“And may the Lord cause you to increase and overflow with love for one another and for everyone, just as we do for you. May he make your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints. Amen.”

‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭3:12-13‬ ‭CSB‬‬

It’s so tempting to join a discussion filled with strong opinions which often leads to a gossip like slam fest.  The temptation to join sides on an issue is almost a political campaign strategy, rather than a goal to build unity or  to demonstrate good character.  Francis Chan’s book Until Unity is a difficult read because he steps on my toes.  One excerpt states “ Who decided that emphasizing doctrine was mature and emphasizing love was immature? ,(  p132).  When we equate maturity with knowledge it’s easy to justify a life of acquiring knowledge then finding fault with others. The two greatest commands are to love God and love others (Matt 22:36-40).  I have much to learn. 

Viewpoint

 Warren Wiersbe - The most important thing in life isn’t what we think about ourselves or what others think about us. He is the final judge. When He examines our motives, words, and actions, we are commended or we we are condemned. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. “Man looks at the outward appearance , but the LORD looks at the heart.” - 1 Sam16:7. 

Provision

 Allister Begg said:  “A self-assured person is not going to pray prayers of petition; there’s no need to pray if you think you have got it all covered. A self-righteous person is not going to pray prayers of confession; there’s no need to pray if you think you’re good enough to earn God’s blessing. But the person who knows their heart before God—the person who knows the depth of their need of forgiveness and help from God.”

When I’m into myself, thinking I’ve got life all figured out, I miss knowing how God provides during my trying times. My self absorption is a rabbit trail away from maturity, a departure from following Christ. 

Gods peroxide’s far more than my freedom from a slavery to sin.  He provides a meaning and purpose to live each day which is for Him and His glory.  My self sufficiency will always fall short. 

Stretching My Faith

How do you know if a goal is what would glorify God, not just promote yourself?  When should you share a goal with someone else?  Most of us do not share our goals and ambitions with others. We live seen and unseen lives.  We are very public about our successes but private about our struggles or what could reflect poorly on us.  I do not like to have others judge me on my goals or lack of them. I wonder how others view my ambition or lack of ambition to grow in Christ. But in my heart comes the call of Christ.  He says, "Come to me."  Jesus wants to unburden me from the anxiety of having a public/private split, living a seen life of images and a private life of unseen struggle.  He wants to stretch my faith into a bigger vision with greater love, faith and hope.   He knows we (I) will not respond unless we are convinced of His love.  He wants to do more work in my heart than I can imagine. I wonder if my expectations to grow are too low, thinking that I’ve arrived to where He wants me to be without even praying about it. 

Goals

 God blesses goals that honor him. What are those goals?

Goals that bring glory to God.

The Bible tells us everything we do can bring glory to God if we do it in the right attitude and with the right motivation (1 Corinthians 10:31). Any goal that makes us more grateful to God, draws us closer to him, or involves sharing Jesus with others brings God glory.

This means the same goal can be one God blesses and one he doesn’t, depending upon the motivation behind it. If you set an attendance goal for your church because you want to bring attention to yourself, that’s not a goal God will bless. But if you’re motivated to set that goal because you want to see more people come to faith in Christ, that’s a godly goal.

Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:9, “Our only goal is to please God whether we live here or there”(NCV). Pleasing God needs to be the motivation behind every goal we set.

Goals that are motivated by love.

I recently read how God is far more interested in why we do what we do than what we do. He’s more interested in our heart than the outcome of our actions. God won’t bless goals we set because of fear, envy, or peer pressure. But if love motivates our goals, God will bless them.  I’m not convinced that my goals have always been motivated by love  perhaps loyalty, wanting to be seen as responsible, and not wanting to hurt others could be a form of love  I’ve been accused of being prideful, which came as a shock at the time  but after some self evaluation, I’ve come across as arrogant because I thought I was right and could see the big picture.  I want to be considerate and caring with my communication, not confrontational  as Paul stated, I struggle with obtaining the prize of salvation  I’m not sure that we will always be respected for our good goals, but I want to be faithful and loyal  

In fact, 1 Corinthians 16:14 says, “Do everything in love” (NCV). Why? Because love is the number one lesson God wants us to learn in life.

Two kinds of love motivate our goals—love for God and love for others. When we set a goal to get in shape as an act of stewarding what the Lord has given us, that’s a goal motivated by love for God. When we set a goal to do something special for our spouse weekly, that’s motivated by our love for others.

Goals that fulfill one of God’s purposes for your life.

God has five purposes for our lives—worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and evangelism. God’s purposes are eternal, and he always blesses us when we pursue them.

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:26, “I run with purpose in every step” (NLT). Paul was a purpose-driven runner when it came to pursuing God’s purposes. He wanted to do what God wanted him to do, and he refused to let distractions get in the way.

The Bible often compares life to a race. In a race, runners don’t get to change the finish line. The finish line is preset. The same is true for our lives. God’s purposes are the goals we must pursue. We don’t choose them. He does.

Goals that are set in faith.

Goals aren’t just a statement of faith. They stretch your faith. The bigger your goal, the more your faith will be stretched. And that pleases God. The Bible tells us, “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6 NIV).

If a goal is too small, it’s not a goal. It’s a to-do list. A goal is something big enough that you must depend upon God to complete it.

Goals that are achieved with God’s power.

You can find a large selection of self-help books on Amazon or at your local bookstore. Some of them have good advice, but none of them can provide what the Bible does. They may teach you about time management, forgiveness, or dieting. They may even have brilliant strategies, but none of them will give you the power to manage your priorities in life, forgive someone who has hurt you, or renew your mind. Only God’s power can do that.

Your goals matter to God. As you look to make 2022 your best year, take a look at the goals you’ve set for the year. Are they the kind of goals God will bless?

Celebration

 We are becoming a nation of grumblers, angry that we don’t have life as well as it could be. Many are angry and divisive, missing the joy of having life so good, compared to the rest of the world. But more importantly, we miss being grateful for what God is providing us in Christ. I have often put myself into a tail spin with anxiety and worry, with a long list of ‘what if statements.” I want to be transformed into a person who celebrates God’s presence and wisdom, rather than merely conform to our cultural expectations. 

Seeking Things Above

 Colossians 3:2

[2] Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

Wandering without direction is being focused on the ground, with our head down. It’s like taking a trip without a destination or a general direction without a map. But setting our minds is being fixed on the destination with a great hope and expectation that we will arrive on time, His time for our lives. Setting our minds is looking at the light, not the darkness, in confusion. It is traveling our life journey with certainty of faith. Our certainty is not a fairy tale, or a fiction novel we would like to live. It is not a conspiracy theory with a crazy rationale. It is not fake news, but factual faith with a rock solid foundation. We are not seeking goals of the world, including prestige, power, or passion for self promotion. The things above are His glory, His love, His agenda. It is not being confirmed to cultural ideals but being changed and transformed into His character and His love. 

Only when the awe of God rules your heart will you be able to keep the pleasures of the material world in their proper place… I came to see that I was wired for awe, that awe of something sits at the bottom of everything I say and do. But I wasn’t just wired for awe. I was wired for the awe of God. No other awe satisfies the soul. No other awe can give my heart the peace, rest, and security that it seeks. I came to see that I needed to trace awe of God down to the most mundane of human decisions and activities.” - Paul David Tripp, Awe: Why It Matters for Everything We Think, Say, and Do

Rules While Growing Up

 Philip Yancey states “my earliest memories involves fear.”  “I learn that the world has two sets of rules, one for adults and one for children. Children must do what big people tell them, whether it makes sense or not, whether they want to or not. Children must apologize when they’re wrong; adults never do. Like God, adults make all the rules—and according to my playmates, my God-fearing mother has way too many rules.”

For me, two rules stand out  one is to always look like you are working hard  it’s a sin to be thought of as lazy, as a good for nothing bum  I can remember my father saying that in so many different ways   Another rule was to be seen as doing kind things for others, doing your part to make sure that a project is not seen as undone  in other words, it’s more important to worry about what people think than what I think long term results from that conclusion is to be a yes person, a dormat   Another consequence is not to consider what God thinks  Glorifying Him is not a priority if you are more worried about what others think  

Another long term consequence is to always feel guilty because I’m never going to live up to the expectations of others or the standards of common Christian behavior (which must be written somewhere)  

Excerpt From

Where the Light Fell

Philip Yancey

https://books.apple.com/us/book/where-the-light-fell/id1548078431

This material may be protected by copyright.

Purpose

 Learning what it means to be a retired educator has been difficult. Finding a new rhythm and balance is a struggle. Having been in the thick of intense problem solving issues, helping others set goals, handle a predicament, or sitting with someone in grief was my rhythm. Without the public school setting, I’ve gained so many good relationships and memories but lost my immediate focus. Discovering what matters most is so important and I want to set goals that are grounded into what my current responsibilities and realm of influence can ne. 

Resolutions?

 January is the month to see if I really follow through on a New Year’s resolution. There are quite a few things I need to change about myself and consistent discipline is a big one. Rick Warren indicates we need three things to make sure our goals happen: 1) The presence of the Holy Spirit to be empowered - my goal shouldn’t be all about me but glorifying Christ 2) I need God’s Word to saturate my mind. Without His Word, I’m drifting down some rabbit trail. 3) I need others around me - to keep me accountable and humble. I can wasily become seld righteous and focused only on what’s good for me. But a group of like minded Spirit driven, Word infused people can Kai h us deeper into God’s Kingdom.  I’m hoping that a daily devotional connection will keep each participant on track to glorify our Lord  

Integrity

One quality that is lacking in so many leaders is integrity, the stamina and perseverance to do the right thing without duplicity. Chuck Swindoll discusses the character of Noah and the building of the ark, taking 100 years to build. He completes the project with complete obedience despite the ridicule and persecution. God saw the evil in the world and but was patient to begin anew through Noah. Noah was consistently a lonely voice with no converts, building a door to the ark that would close when the rain began. The screaming of the people to be let in when the flood began must have been heartbrakk g, but he knew what God wanted. So we must be consistent and persevering- despite the surroundings and mockery. 1 Peter 3/3 says the same thing in Peter’s day, as the church dealt with the Roman Empire. 

One Word

 What one word do I want to characterize my year in 2022?  I think hope is what I want to be the driving force. Our culture is ravaged by discouragement, anger, divisiveness and a lack of trust. The entire globe seems to be filled with unrest and discouragement. Americans do not seem to trust the institutions we have worked so hard to develop. Where does our Hope come from?  It is from our Creator and Lord, the God of the Bible. 

One conclusion for me is that He is God and I am not. If God is sovereign as the Bible teaches, there is no way for my finite mind to understand what an infinite God is doing right in front of me and behind the scenes. Why do some go through horrible circumstances while the next person continues to enjoy their situation with few troubles?  I don’t know. There is no way for me to figure it all out. I cannot control what I cannot control. But I can rest in the fact that God is in control, working life out for His honor and glory, not mine.  Either He is the sovereign Lord of His creation, or He is not. I choose to trust in Him despite the chaos of today. He is the hope that we desperately need. 

“I will say concerning the Lord, who is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust….”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭91:2‬ ‭CSB‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/1713/psa.91.2.CSB

Without hope we are lost. Our call is to be salt and light in a broken world that is searching for Hope in all the wrong places. Our Hope in the Creator and King drives us to be authentic without a hidden agenda. What we are, you see every day in the way we live. Hope drives integrity.  It is fueled by faith with an output of love for life and others. Boundaries and walls are broken when others see the real us, striving to have integrity but certainly not perfect. Hope must be lived out moment by moment as we realize that God is our refuge and strength when all other resources are weak and failing in comparison. 

I Need Guidance

 The God who created me knows my name!  He knows me better than I know myself.  He is active throughout the world and wants all to know Him.  My feeble efforts to do what He wants are immeasurable to His efforts.  I need to listen and study what He is doing and get on board.  What He is doing, He will make make sure that is completed.  What I try to make happen will require me to sustain stain it.  It’s easy to start doubting if I have control everything. I need to slow down and seek God’s heart, not to elevate myself or enhance my reputation, but to enjoy His presence.  

By cultivating honest conversations with Him, space is developed to refresh the soul, opening the door for Him to speak in a new way, or to confirm in my heart how great He is. We don’t know 2022 holds but we know we can live out what we believe God is calling us to do in Scripture.

A Prayer for Guidance

(From YouVersion reading plan “Prayers For A Fresh Start”)

God,

You know my heart. You understand my deepest wants and needs, and You know my every intention. You know me better than I know myself. There is nowhere I could run to escape Your presence, and nothing I could hide from You!

You alone are worthy of my praise.

I don’t always know what to ask for when I pray. My soul is weary and I am tired. I often worry about making the right decision—but I want to live a life that honors You.

Even though I may feel like I can’t move forward or see what’s ahead—You see me. And You know me. So please guide me. Show me the paths that lead to abundant life, and draw me near when I am tempted to stray from You.

I will place my hope in You at all times because You know all things, and You hold my life in Your hands. You are my strength in times of need, and You are my salvation.

So hold me close, Lord, and teach me to walk in a manner worthy of the calling You have given me. Direct my steps as You guard my life, because I want to glorify You.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.